<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Life according to Ser Pounce by Jarakrisafis</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25049191">Life according to Ser Pounce</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarakrisafis/pseuds/Jarakrisafis'>Jarakrisafis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:47:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,139</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25049191</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarakrisafis/pseuds/Jarakrisafis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Life according to Ser Pounce, aka, the real story of life, his human and the world.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mother still hasn’t come home. It’s been nearly three cycles of the dark. Her human hasn’t come back either. My sisters both left this morning. One of them said she found a warm place with two humans that smelt of coal and fire and metal. The other left with her chosen, they rode out on one of the wooden beasts.</p><p>I’m still looking. I want a human that’s just right.</p><p>I want one that will pay attention to me. They can’t have a human kitten; they like tugging at ears and paws and they’re always sticky. Nor can they have a dog. Dogs take too long to train and I don’t have the time to spare on showing it why I am higher up in the chain than a mere servant.</p><p>It’s just taking so long. I’ve been trying every one of them as they come past. A quick brush against the legs, a quiet, “hey,” a tilt of the head. None of them so far have understood.</p><p>Old Bastard said I should join him, he says the stables are warm and there are plenty of mice. But he doesn’t let any humans get close to him. They go too near to him and all you can hear is; “Put one step closer and I’ll take your hand off you mouse-licking pile of rat droppings!” I actually like the humans, with exception to the aforementioned kittens, and I don’t want them to think I’m like him.</p><p>I just need to keep trying. I’m making sure I look my best. I’m keeping clean and tidy. I even make sure to sharpen my claws this morning.</p><p>Maybe this ones. I haven’t seen this one before, it’s in so much metal fur I can’t even tell if it is a human or if its one of the subspecies. I’d have to wait and see when it changes fur. Not that it would be a problem, the short species and the ones with proper ears are both easy to train, same as the regular humans. “Hey.” I say, sitting down and puffing my chest out. “Yes, you.”</p><p>And there we go, see how easy they are to train, it stopped right away. I stand, making sure to stretch out and flick my tail. I want it to see how lean I am, how strong. I’m a good hunter. I curl round the first leg, and sniff at the fingers that are offered to me before curling round the other leg. It was promising, but no. I can smell dog.</p><p>Ah well, onto the next one the… “Put me down!” I don’t believe it. How absolutely rude! “Down! Or I will start getting angry! Oh, I will show you why this is a bad idea as soon as you are out of your metal fur, you cat snatching moron.” At least it’s got the good grace to carry me right way up, about all it’s got going for it right now.</p><p>This is really not dignified. How will I get a human if any of them see me like this? And oh no. We’re going inside? In the big den? Oh, wow, it really is a big den. How did they dig out such a big den, The roof is so far away.</p><p>And yes, “hello,” I stare at the new human, “I am being carried and I would like down.” Preferably right… Now? What is that enticing scent? It’s like the electric crackle that is in the air before the big rain comes. Or the first frost of the morning. Or the soft crackle of flames in the hearth fire. It’s all of those and it’s utterly delightful.</p><p>“You.” I say imperiously, listening to the babble of human sound. “You will take me.” The sound stops and I flick my tail, then let it quiver as my abductor hands me over. I’ll forgive it for being so rude when it brought me to my human. “I like you already.” I state as a finger rubs across my head, soft and careful, but firm enough and it is wonderful.</p><p>It shrugs something off its back and opens it. I peer inside, unsure what it’s after. Is there danger in there I am meant to kill? Or is it offering me a space in there to den? Inside smells the same as my human, no scent of danger. I will presume den then. I’m not going to turn down such a warm and cosy spot. I hop in, curling up with a rumble and yawn as the hand comes in to scratch at my neck.</p><p>Oh yes. “I’m keeping you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey!” Has he gone deaf? I can’t exactly shout any louder than I am. I’m going to have to go major offensive soon. And I really don’t want to do that.</p><p>“Hey! Look!” Come on. Don’t make me do it.</p><p>I’m gonna have to do it.</p><p>The explosion of sound is expected. As is the jerk of the arm. If you’d just paid attention to me then I wouldn’t have had to do this but no, today was one of those days. And there, in amongst the sound is the word I was looking for. Pounce. That’s me.</p><p>“Hey. I’m bored.” I say when the violent shaking stops and I peer at my human from upside down.</p><p>He sighs, saying something else as he unhooks my claws from his arm. I rumble happily as I hear my name again.</p><p>Then, I am cruelly abandoned. I stare up from the floor. That’s just not on. “Hey, come on!” I make sure to raise my voice, happy when he winces and I stretch up, making sure to dig my claws into his leg. Ignore me now. I dare you.</p><p>“Pounce!”</p><p>“Pick me up!” I clamber up his leg, clinging gracefully to his thigh as he stumbles backwards to sit down. There we go, was that so hard? I “prrrr, rrrrrrr, rrrrr,” retracting my claws and circling on his lap.</p><p>He sighs, the sound heavy and loud behind me. I tilt my head back. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>His fingers settle on my neck, right behind my cheek, rubbing in the way that makes my bones melt. He’s speaking again, a rough rumble of sound. I catch my name a few times, though he’s still not learnt to speak properly. He could, he has the energy in him to change his shape. Ah well, he’s my human whether he learns or not.</p><p>I let my claws knead the material covering his fur, careful to not break through it now he’s understood what I wanted. He won’t move me now. He never does. </p><p>“Good boy Pounce.” I yawn and snuggle back down as the fingers continue to rub circles in just the right way. Of course I’m good. I’m a cat.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>